Abstract: An article of luggage includes a built-in scale that slides into and out of a base. When the scale is disposed within the base, the user can measure the weight of the luggage. When the scale is external to the base, the user can weigh him or herself.

Abstract: A wireless communications network includes a base station to communicate with plural mobile stations over a wireless link. A broadcast message is sent to the plural mobile stations, with the broadcast message containing an indication for indicating to the plural mobile stations that the mobile stations are to change data rates for transmissions over a reverse wireless link.

Abstract: Disclosed is a DRM device and method for providing secure linking to a user identity. A first request is sent to a subscriber identity module. A message is received from the subscriber identity module via a secure authenticated channel. The message comprises at least a master key identifier, a random number, and a derived key. In response to the message, a second request is sent to a DRM server. The second request comprises at least a master key identifier, the device identifier, and a random number. Also disclosed is a DRM server and method for providing secure linking to a user identity. A first request is received from a DRM device. The first request comprises at least master key identifier, a device identifier, and a random number. The DRM device is authenticated. A second request for an application specific key is sent to a trusted key management server. The second request comprises at least a master key identifier. At least a key is received from the trusted key management server.

Abstract: A wireless communication network determines positioning data for a given mobile terminal, in response to receiving a positioning event trigger for that mobile terminal. The network sends the positioning data to the mobile terminal via control-plane signaling, for transfer by the mobile terminal to the user plane. Correspondingly, the mobile terminal receives the positioning data over the control plane, transfers it to the user plane, and transmits the positioning data or location information derived from the positioning data, via user-plane signaling. As such, network-performed positioning measurements and/or geographic coordinate data derived therefrom are transferred from the control plane, to the user plane, for flexible and transparent transmission from the mobile terminal to a given node having a user-plane connection with the mobile terminal. Such a node may be essentially any type of communication device, system, or server, internal or external to the network.

Abstract: A radio transceiver included in or attached to an imaging camera is used to facilitate the automatic determination of a scale factor in a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. The radio transceiver transmits a radio signal from each of one or more camera positions and measures a reflection profile for the transmitted signal. The measured reflection profile is compared to a simulated reflection profile, generated from a 3D model of the subject/scene of interest, to determine an estimate of an unknown scale for the 3D model. In various embodiments, the radio transceiver may be adapted from a radio device that already exists in or on the imaging camera (e.g., a cellular radio, Bluetooth® radio, or the like) or may be added to an imaging camera.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the teachings presented in this document, a wireless communication receiver implements a form of joint detection that is referred to as “fast joint detection” (FJD). A receiver that is specially adapted to carry out FJD processing provides an advantageous approach to joint detection processing wherein the number of computations needed to produce reliable soft bits, for subsequent turbo decoding and/or other processing, is significantly reduced. Further, the algorithms used in the implementation of FJD processing are particularly well suited for parallelization in dedicated signal processing hardware. Thus, while FJD processing is well implemented via programmable digital processors, it also suits applications where high-speed, dedicated signal processing hardware is needed or desired.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for handling residual space occurring in packet-based data transmissions, wherein according to one embodiment of a method for controlling a packet-based data transmission, in case an amount of residual space in the packet (300) is below a predefined threshold value, a last one of one or more sub-headers (304) in the header (302) of the packet (300) is constructed by setting a length indicator (LF) to a value indicating to a receiver that no further sub-header follows.

Abstract: A hygienic insert connector assembly that prevents biological contamination within food, beverage and biopharma processes includes an insert to pass through an opening into a fluid chamber, a support assembly, a seal disposed around the insert to seal the opening into the fluid chamber, and a seal compression mechanism. When the seal is axially compressed, the seal radially expands and contacts both the wall of the opening into the fluid chamber and the insert to collectively form a fluid tight seal. This eliminates the potential for product entrapment with the associated biological contamination risk, and allows efficient in-place cleaning and sterilization. The connector assembly can be installed in any orientation and functions such that positive pressure inside the fluid chamber enhances the sealing mechanism. The simple design enables the insert to be easily removed, examined, and re-inserted in conformance with international sanitary design standards.

Abstract: A transmit circuit reduces undesired amplitude modulation (AM) in transmit signal pulses by substituting predetermined amplitude information for actual pulse amplitude information during portions of the pulse corresponding to nominally constant amplitudes. For example, GMSK and certain other modulation formats use a desired transmit pulse shape that includes a nominally flat middle portion. An exemplary AM reduction circuit detects generated pulse values corresponding to the nominally constant-amplitude portions of the transmit pulse and substitutes predetermined, preferably constant, amplitude values in their place. As such, the circuit may include a comparator used to detect the pulse values corresponding to variable amplitude portions of the pulse, which it passes through, and to detect those amplitude values corresponding to constant-amplitude portions of the pulse, which it replaces with substituted values. Such operation may include amplitude value filtering, and such operations may be modal, e.g.

Abstract: An optical logic gate (10) comprising inputs (12) for optical signals on which to perform a chosen logical operation. An SOA (11) element receives such input signals to be piloted thereby in saturation and its output is connected to at least one optical filter (14, 15, 16) that filters components of signals output from the SOA and which represent a desired logical result of the signals input at the gate so that at the output (13) of the filter there is an optical signal as the result of the desired logical operation. A probe signal (17) can also be provided. An appropriate combination of power of the input, power and probe signal wavelength and central wavelength of the filter allows obtaining a plurality of logic functions such as NOR, NOT, inverted XOR, AND, OR.

Abstract: A check valve is provided comprising a conduit for conveying a fluid, the conduit having an inlet and an outlet, the conduit having a first region adjacent the outlet (13) comprising a flexible wall, two opposing sides of the flexible wall converging towards each other to form a closed geometry when the pressure of the fluid upstream of the inlet and the pressure of the fluid downstream of the outlet are substantially equal, the closed geometry comprising each of the opposing sides (23, 24) being arcuate in cross-section and lying against each other in a substantially sealing relationship (21, 22). Preferably, two connecting regions of the wall connecting the two opposing sides (15, 16) are biased towards each other by a biasing means. Preferably, the biasing means comprises one or more flexible ring members (25) encircling the flexible wall attached at points (25A and 25B). Preferably, the conduit takes the form of a duck beak valve (20). The figure shows an end view onto the check valve outlet.

Abstract: A Method and arrangement for determining the position of mobile terminals in a cell of a mobile communication network where time alignment (TA) is employed for terminal transmissions in timeslots to a serving base station. First, the distance to the base station is determined (200) for at least one mobile terminal in the call using a TA independent positioning method. A current TA value used by the at least one mobile terminal for time alignment of signal transmissions in an allocated timeslot, is also obtained (202). A relation between the determined TA independent distance and the obtained current TA value for each mobile terminal, is then estimated (204), and a TA bias of the cell is determined (206) based on the estimated relation. The position of any subsequent terminals can then be determined using a TA based positioning method and the TA bias, such that the current TA value used by the subsequent terminal is adjusted by the TA bias.

Abstract: An optical switch assembly comprising at least two optical amplifiers (10, 20), means for applying a first input signal to one end of both amplifiers (10, 20) and a second input signal to another end, and means for simultaneously driving one or other of the amplifiers into a saturated state whilst the other is unsaturated such that only the amplifier that is unsaturated provides any significant amplification to the input signals at each end, and means for feeding the amplified output signals from the amplifiers to at least two output nodes such that the two amplifiers (10, 20) are connected to the two output nodes in opposite connections.

Abstract: A sub-threshold transistor bridge circuit for use in detecting the signal level of an input radio-frequency signal is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment each branch of the sub-threshold transistor bridge circuit comprises a transistor configured to operate in the sub-threshold region over a predetermined range of input signal levels. An input radio-frequency signal applied to a first pair of opposing corners of the bridge circuit yields a bridge output signal at the remaining pair of opposing corners that has a low-frequency component substantially proportional to the squared-amplitude of the envelope of the input radio-frequency signal. Also disclosed are various detector circuits including a sub-threshold transistor bridge circuit, as well as methods for detecting a signal level for an radio-frequency signal using a sub-threshold transistor bridge.

Abstract: According to a method and apparatus taught herein, a decoding circuit and method decode linear block codes based on determining joint probabilities for one or more related subsets of bits in received data blocks. The use of joint probabilities enables faster and more reliable determination of received bits, meaning that, for example, joint probability decoding requires fewer decoding iterations than a comparable decoding process based on single-bit probabilities. As a non-limiting example, the decoding circuit and method taught herein provide advantageous operation with Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes, and can be incorporated in a variety of communication systems and devices, such as those associated with wireless communication networks.

Abstract: In a GUI environment including a plurality of windows, a user may establish one or more groups of windows such that the windows comprising each group are related. The user may cycle focus successively between the windows in the group in response to a focus cycle command input by the user. The focus may cycle bidirectionally between the windows in the group in response to bi-directional focus cycle command inputs by the user. The user may shift focus to a window outside of the group by entering a focus shift command.

Abstract: A Generalized Rake (G-Rake) receiver is adapted for Golden code reception in a CDMA system. Signals transmitted by two or more transmit antennas are received at two or more receiver antennas. The signal from each receiver antenna is despread, and channel estimation is performed for each transmit antenna. G-Rake combining weights are calculated based on impairment correlation across G-Rake fingers and channel coefficients corresponding to each transmit antenna. The despread values from each symbol period are combined over a plurality of symbol periods based on the combining weights. The combined values are processed using coefficients derived from the Golden number to generate a set of decision variables, and the Golden encoded symbols are jointly detected from the decision variables. In some embodiments, spherical decoding and triangularization significantly simplify the decoding problem formulation.

Abstract: A collapsible support structure includes a plurality of linked, inter-connectable segments that allow the structure to transform between a rigid structure and a flexible chain. The chain is generally extendible in a first direction while the rigid structure extends in a transverse second direction. At least a first linked segment is connectable with a second linked segment that is not immediately adjacent to the first segment within the chain. The chain may be converted to the rigid structure by wrapping the chain about an axis extending in the second direction. The segments may include an overall height and further include a coupling that is connected to an adjacent segment. The coupling may be disposed so that the adjacent segment is offset about 1/Nth of the overall height. With this coupling, the first segment may be connectable with the second segment that is N segments separated from the first segment.

Abstract: As taught herein channelization code power estimates are generated for a number of data channels in a received CDMA signal based on a joint determination process. Joint processing in this context yields improved estimation of data channel code powers and corresponding estimations of noise variance. These improvements arise from exploitation of joint processing of measured data value correlations across two or more data channel codes represented in the received signal. In one or more embodiments, joint determination of data channel code powers comprises forming a correlation matrix as a weighted average of correlations determined for a plurality of data channels. In one or more other embodiments, joint determination of data channel code powers comprises jointly fitting the correlation matrices for a plurality of data channels in a least squares error estimation process.

Abstract: User Equipment in a wireless communication network considers the downlink channel bandwidth in setting out of synchronization (OoS) and in synchronization (IS) thresholds and filter durations. Additionally, the UE may consider transmitter antenna configuration—that is, the number of transmitting antennas in a MIMO system—in setting the OoS and IS thresholds. The UE determines it is OoS when a monitored, filtered, downlink channel quality metric, such as reference symbol SINR, is below the OoS threshold.